


War on Two Fronts

by CanineR7A7



Category: Final Fantasy XIII Series
Genre: I will stop rambling now, I will write something where Lightning is happy, Lightning needs a hug, Maybe - Freeform, Other, The war of transgression never ended, actually that might not be a good idea, eventually, someone take these characters away from me, the ship can be read as platonic or romantic
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-10-07
Updated: 2017-11-03
Packaged: 2019-01-10 04:06:01
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 9
Words: 3,500
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12290865
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/CanineR7A7/pseuds/CanineR7A7
Summary: When Fang and Vanille capture a soldier from Cocoon, they're surprised to find her so cold and underneath that, why does she seem so sad?





	1. Prologue

Vanille cried as she held the woman in her arms, blood had already started seeping through the bandages. Fang stood in front of them, a furious glare fixed on her face, her grip on her lance tightened. The soldiers in front of her pointed their guns directly at Fang as their leader walked forward.

"Hand her over." The man ordered pointing at the woman in Vanille's arms, Fang refused to move.

"We're here to take her home." Fang scoffed at that, from what she'd heard it was more of a prison than a home.

"You're not taking her anywhere." The man furrowed his brow, obviously not used to being denied.

"She is property of Cocoon, we have full rights to bring her home." Fang snarled at the word  _property_ she heard Vanille gasp at the way the man described their friend.

"HAND HER OVER!" The man roared, Fang didn't flinch at his anger. She watched as the other soldiers raised their weapons and closed her eyes. One thought stayed in her mind  _'Sorry Light.'_


	2. One Week Earlier

Fang stalked closer to the tree the soldier disappeared behind, she glanced out of the corner of her eye and watched her ‘sister’ sneak around the other side. Fang hung back, waiting to ambush the threat just in case Vanille failed. She heard the binding-rod latch onto it’s target and she strolled round the tree to see their trapped target. The smirk on her face faltered when she realized the soldier wasn’t resisting, she watched Vanille’s face fall slightly and held onto the rod while Vanille checked on the soldier.

Vanille kneeled in front of the woman and tilted her head up, she was saddened when she noticed the lifeless expression in the woman’s eyes. ‘What happened to her?’ Vanille placed a finger against the woman’s neck and was relieved when she felt a pulse, ‘she’s alive at least.’

Fang pulled the woman to her feet and started guiding her towards Oerba, Choosing to ignore the main path, something told her that walking through the village with an unresponsive prisoner wasn’t a good idea.


	3. Chapter 3

The next day Fang and Vanille walked into the prisoner's cell, Fang leaned against the wall as Vanille placed some food in front of the woman. The soldier glanced at it before retuning to stare at the floor, Vanille frowned and knelt next to her.

"You have to eat something." The soldier just shrugged. Fang knew there was something wrong, the woman looked like she hadn't eaten for a while. Fang crouched on the soldier's other side.

"What's ya name?" It was silent for a few seconds.

"Lightning." The woman's voice was scratchy from lack of use.

"Strange name." Lightning just shrugged. Fang wasn't used to people being quiet so much, she looked over at Vanille who seemed to catch the hint.

"Where are you from?"

"Bodhum." Vanille felt her smile drop a little, she'd never heard someone sound so depressed.

"What about your family?" Lightning flinched and the Pulsians watched as a tear leaked from her eye. Fang held her breath.

"Friends?" A choked sob seemed to force it's way out of Lightning's mouth. Vanille felt her heart breaking, Lightning had no-one. Fang motioned towards the door and the two left the room.

"Why would Cocoon send a woman that broken here?" Vanille tried to hold back her tears.

"Either she wanted to die, or they didn't want her to come back." Fang snarled

"What should we do Fang?" The older woman sighed.

"I don't know."


	4. Two days later

Fang and Vanille approached the cell for the second time that week. Both of them we’re saddened by the order given by the village leader.

“We can’t let him kill her.” Vanille cried, Fang shook her head, trying to hold back her own tears.

“There’s nothing we can do ‘Nille.” The older woman sighed, she hated how much she’d come to care about the soldier.

“What if we asked her more questions?” When Fang nodded, she continued.

“We find out more about her. Maybe if we learn enough the people will see she’s like us and let her go.” Fang considered this for a few moments.

“Worth a try.” She shrugged, they spent the rest of the walk in silence and took a few seconds to prepare themselves before walking into the cell. Lightning was in the same position they left her in two days ago, shoulders hunched over, a plate of food left untouched and purple bags under her lifeless eyes. Vanille sat next to her and placed an arm around her shoulders, Fang watched as the woman shivered before awkwardly leaning into it, ‘she’s never been comforted.’ The revelation sent a spike of pain through the huntress’ chest.

“Lightning?” The woman looked up slowly and Fang wanted to run from the room.

“We’re going to try to help you, but you need to co-operate.” Lightning showed no sign of understanding but Fang continued anyway.

“The village leader has chosen to put you to death.” Fang made sure her tone showed how she felt about it.

“Might be an act of mercy at this point.” The woman’s voice cracked, but Fang put it down to her not speaking a lot. Vanille tightened her hold around the soldier’s shoulders.

“Don’t say that.” Tears leaked from the girl’s eyes. Eventually Lightning sighed and nodded.

The Pulsians listened closely to the woman’s words, not noticing the guard who had also stopped to listen. Lightning told them about the deaths of her parents, how she was left to protect and care for her sister alone. She told them about the friend she made, who rescued them from the abusive owners of the local orphanage. Told them how she joined the Guardian Corp to provide for her sister and how her friend followed. Fang and Vanille considered their next questions, not noticing the guard had entered the room and was waiting to hear more.

“You mentioned there were two military groups on Cocoon, who was the other one?”

“PSICOM, Public Security and Intelligence Command.” Lightning practically growled their name. She told them of the group’s corrupt nature, how they captured Lightning and tortured her in an attempt to get her to join them, how her friend saved her. She told them how they captured her friend later on for the same reason and how she rescued him.

“What happened to your friend?” Vanille noticed how the woman never mentioned his name.

“Sergeant Keyek Thunder.” She told them how he cared about her and her sister, how he always tried to protect them, even from themselves. She told them how he uncovered something about PSICOM and how the group captured and killed him. Fang felt her heart break again for the soldier, first she loses her parents, then her friend. Vanille was in tears.

“What did he find?”

“PSICOM was created to fight wars, whereas the Guardian Corps was created to be a police force. PSICOM had forged orders from the Primarch to get us involved. I was given the order to come here, no-one gave a damn that I’d be leaving my sister because _Sergeant Farron doesn’t give a damn about anything._ ” The soldier growled that last part. Fang felt enraged towards the Cocoon military, they’d willingly sent out a soldier who wasn’t in her right mind. Vanille felt angry too, but she chose to ask one more question.

“How did your sister react?” A lone tear forced itself from Lightning’s eye, she pulled a device from her pocket and placed it on the floor.

“Have a listen for yourselves.” The recording started playing.

_They can’t be serious, Pulse is too dangerous._

**_They don’t care Serah, they never do._ **

_No! You’re lying! You chose this mission, didn’t you?_

**_Do you really think I want to leave you?_ **

_Mom and Dad did, so did Keyek, and now you are._

**_Leave them out of this._ **

_Is that why you want to leave?_

**_Serah!_ **

_You never cared about me, you only cared about Mom and Dad._

**_Don’t say that._ **

_It’s the truth isn’t it._

**_No._ **

_Just go Lightning, I hate you. So did Mom, Dad and Keyek, that’s why they’re gone._

The Pulsians looked at the soldier who had lay down in the fetal  position with her hands pressing down on her ears. Vanille couldn’t stop crying, she placed a hand on Lightning’s back but the soldier flinched away from it. Fang helped her ‘sister’ up and the two left the cell, followed by the guard.

“Those bastards.” Fang murmured. The guard seemed to consider something.

“I’ll let the leader know about this.” The man walked off.

“If the leader still wants to put her to death, we tell the others about this. He won’t keep his decision if everyone disagrees.” When Vanille nodded the two headed home, trying not to cry at the scenes playing in their heads.


	5. Chapter 5

The guard's word hadn't gone down well, now Fang and Vanille were forced to move the soldier to the front of the village where a large crowd had gathered. The soldier had a strip of rope tied around her wrists that Fang had made sure was loose enough to break out of if the need arose. The ‘sisters’ had needed to force back tears when they realized how much Lightning had accepted her possible death ‘then again, who wouldn’t in her position?’ Fang thought bitterly. The two made sure they walked as slow as possible to the front of the crowd, Lightning had showed them that morning how to use the device she’d activated the night before. Fang, Vanille and the guard tuned out most of the leader’s speech but they couldn’t ignore the insults being yelled at the soldier.

“Bring the prisoner forward.” The guard brought Lightning closer to the leader, trying to be as gentle as he could. The leader raised his hand, but before he could lower it, Fang walked forward.

“STOP!” She yelled, ignoring the cries of ‘traitor.’

“What is the meaning of this?” It was clear he was ignoring the report the guard had delivered to him.

“I won’t allow you to kill someone who has done nothing to harm us.” She heard the murmurs that broke out, but paid them no mind.

“She is one of those vipers and yet you choose her over your own people.” Fang laughed bitterly.

“She is nothing like them.” Fang yelled and began retelling everything she and her sister had learned about the woman, even pulling out the device that held the last conversation she had with her sister. Fang watched with grim satisfaction as her peoples’ faces became a sea of sympathy for the soldier and pure rage at the planet that broke her. The people started chanting for the soldier to be released and Fang looked the guilt-stricken leader in the eyes as she cut the rope around Lightning’s wrists. Fang placed a hand on Lightning’s shoulder and she watch Vanille hold onto her arm, the two guided her to their home, vaguely aware of the eyes that followed them. When they finally got there the sisters released breaths they didn’t realize they were holding.

“How about you get some sleep.” Fang murmured to the soldier, Lightning nodded and Fang helped her to the bedroom, not entirely confident the woman would manage alone. Lightning practically fell asleep as soon as her head hit the pillow ‘how long has it been since she slept?’ The thought left an uncomfortable feeling in Fang’s chest. When she got back to the front room, she saw Vanille staring at the bedroom door.

“How is she?” Fang sighed.

“Still broken, but she’s sleeping at least.” Vanille nodded at this and leaned back in her seat.

“What are we going to do now?” The room was silent for a few minutes, Fang had been thinking the same but no answer had come yet.

“We be there for her, try to help her through it.” The two stayed up for a bit longer before turning in, the two felt their hearts tighten when they saw how much the soldier had curled into herself and the slight shiver that racked her frame. The sisters nodded briefly and Fang watched as Vanille sat next to the soldier and placed a hand on the woman’s shoulder. Fang watched as the soldier’s arm snaked around vanille and pulled her closer, seemingly afraid of being left alone, Fang didn’t hesitate to lie against the soldier’s back and wrap an arm round her.


	6. Chapter 6

It was a knock at the door that woke Fang the next morning, Lightning was still asleep and Fang had no intentions of waking her up, ‘poor thing probably hasn’t slept in a while.’ She noticed Vanille had already left. Fang walked towards the front door, the faint smell of food confirming that Vanille was preparing breakfast. When she opened the door, Fang was met with the sight of the village leader.

“Good morning Oerba Yun Fang.” Fang responded to his greeting, trying to keep the anger out of her voice.

“May I come in?” Fang moved out of the way and watched as the leader took a seat in the front room.

“Is the Cocoonian awake?” Fang bristled slightly.

“Her name is _Lightning_ , and no she isn’t.” Fang made sure to emphasize the soldier’s name.

“Would it be at all possible for me to speak with her?” Fang sighed and left to wake the soldier. She shook her shoulders gently but was saddened when she saw the lifeless expression was still there. Fang guided the woman to the front room and wasn’t surprised when the woman stiffened before sitting down.

“Good morning Lightning.” The man felt guilt when he saw how broken the woman truly was, she made no motion of understanding, but he continued anyway.

“I came to apologise.” The soldiers head lifted slightly.

“It was wrong of me to judge you.” Lightning just shrugged.

“You’re not the first.” The defeated tone hadn’t left her voice, Fang felt her anger spark again.

“I also wanted to return this to you.” He placed her gunblade and holster on the small table before leaving.


	7. Two days later / Present

It had been two days since the leader’s visit and the two Pulsians were walking around the village with Lightning. They had hoped that meeting some of the people there would help the soldier, but she was largely unresponsive when someone tried to talk to her. It was a good thing the other Pulsians didn’t judge her for it, most of them were understanding and kept their anger directed at Cocoon instead of Lightning, but there were some who would glare at the soldier, Fang and Vanille made sure to steer clear of them.

“Let’s sit down for a bit.” Fang nodded and watched as Vanille guided the soldier to the nearest tree. Fang sighed; it would take longer than they thought to help the soldier.

“What did your friend look like?” Vanille watched the soldier pull a photo from one of her jacket pockets, the pulsians looked at it. In the middle was a girl who they immediately recognised as Lightning’s sister, she held a graduation certificate in her hands and her face was covered with a large smile. On the girl’s right Lightning’s hand rested on her sister’s shoulder, the pulsians almost didn’t recognise her, the soldier’s expression was filled with pride but there was a cold glint in her eyes that spoke of hardships. Finally, their gaze rested on the man to the younger Farron’s left, he seemed to have draped himself over both sister’s and a cocky grin plastered on his face.

“He looks like a right cowboy.” Fang exclaimed.

“He was.” Lightning’s voice caught slightly. The pulsians looked at the photo again and realised something.

“This was after your parents died, wasn’t it?” Vanille asked softly, Lightning just nodded. The two thought about everything Lightning had told them and realised the relationship she had with the other soldier in the photo, he’d helped her look after Serah and watched out for Lightning as well, in the end it cost him his life.

“I’m sorry Light.” Fang didn’t realise she’d spoken out loud. Fang looked up and her eyes widened when she saw a behemoth barrelling towards them.

“VANILLE!” Fang yelled, noticing she was closer to the beast. The next thing the pulsians knew, the beast was lying on its side, bullet holes smoking on its hide, Fang looks to the side and notices that one of its horns broke off when it hit the ground. The huntress’ stomach drops when she notices the blood splattered on the horn and the soldier lying next to it. The pulsians ran up to the soldier and Vanille wrapped the soldier’s wounds, they would need stitches but that would have to wait. Vanille pulled the woman closer and Fang grabbed her spear when a click was heard behind them.

Vanille cried as she held the woman in her arms, blood had already started seeping through the bandages. Fang stood in front of them, a furious glare fixed on her face, her grip on her lance tightened. The soldiers in front of her pointed their guns directly at Fang as their leader walked forward.

"Hand her over." The man ordered pointing at the woman in Vanille's arms, Fang refused to move.

"We're here to take her home." Fang scoffed at that, from what she'd heard it was more of a prison than a home.

"You're not taking her anywhere." The man furrowed his brow, obviously not used to being denied.

"She is property of Cocoon, we have full rights to bring her home." Fang snarled at the word property she heard Vanille gasp at the way the man described their friend.

"HAND HER OVER!" The man roared, Fang didn't flinch at his anger. She watched as the other soldiers raised their weapons and closed her eyes. One thought stayed in her mind 'Sorry Light.'


	8. Odin

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> They aren't L'Cie.

Fang’s eyes snapped open when the soldier’s started yelling, she looked up and saw a stallion charging them. The pulsian was astonished; she didn’t think the eidolons existed. The horse transformed and Fang watched as it swung its zantetsuken ( _is that what it’s called_ ) towards the soldiers before turning to the three people behind him. Fang kept her spear raised, the eidolon may have fought the soldiers but that didn’t mean he was here to help them. The eidolon’s gaze turned to the injured soldier and Fang hoped he wouldn’t strike her. Fang was once again surprised when she noticed a white light surround the woman.

“Are you healing her?” The question went unanswered and the pulsians watched as the eidolon disappeared.

“What just happened?” Fang didn’t know how to answer her sister’s question.


	9. 1 year later

Fang looked at the incoming ships with hatred, the war had ended with a mutual surrender one month ago and prisoners were being returned to their homes. As far as Cocoon was aware, Lightning was still a prisoner, Fang and Vanille hated the idea of giving the soldier back to those monsters but they had no choice. When the first ship landed a girl climbed out, she looked like a younger version of Lightning and Fang felt her hatred grow when she remembered the recording. The girl smiled when she saw the soldier, it had taken a while but Lightning had gotten better.

“Sis!” Serah ran towards Lightning and the two Pulsians felt their hatred dim when the sisters clung to each other.

“I’m so sorry Light; I should have never said those things to you.” Fang felt bitter towards that, ‘first you break her heart and now you expect her to forgive you?’

“Amodar told me everything after you left, I should’ve believed you when you said no one listened.” The Pulsians barely bit back their snarls; they turned their heads and realized that the rest of their people were in similar states.

“I wouldn’t have believed me either.” Lightning murmured, Serah and the Pulsians looked at her in shock.

“I should’ve spent more time with you while we were growing up.” Vanille felt a tear come to her eye; the soldier was too selfless for her own good.

“Don’t say that!” Serah yelled at her.

“You always took responsibility for everything and when you needed me, I just blamed you.” The Pulsians were surprised neither of the sisters had broken in half, they watched as Lightning and Serah walked up to them.

“Just come visit us sometime yeah?” Fang smiled sadly, to her surprise Serah laughed and approached her.

“Thank you.” Fang was surprised at that, as far as the Cocoonians knew Lightning was a prisoner.

“I know you’ve been watching out for Lightning, both of you.” The last part was said in Vanille’s direction. The four said their goodbyes and the Pulsians watched as the ship flew back towards Cocoon.

“Do you think we’ll see her again?” Vanille turned to Fang.

“Of course we will.” The huntress smiled, ‘She’s one of us after all.’

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> That's all I had planned for this, I might do a sequel in the future.


End file.
